Amid supply chain congestion in the United States, cargo thefts are becoming more frequent

As Americans grapple with port congestion and shortages of truck drivers, warehouse workers and front-line staff, supply chain disruptions have brought another problem into the spotlight : cargo theft.

In general, the more congested the supply chain is, the more goods are stored, which creates more opportunities for theft, according to Scott Cornell, an expert in the crime and theft department of Travelers, a US insurance giant .

Chips and refrigerated foods are the top targets for thieves this year, according to CargoNet , an organization that tracks theft in the supply chain of companies , institutions and others .

In September , California was the state with the most cargo thefts , followed by Texas and Florida. On the West Coast, a shortage of computer chips has driven up prices for electronics , prompting thieves to steal more chips . On the East Coast, refrigerated trucks used to transport food have become a favorite target for thieves.

                                                                    Image source: CargoNet

CargoNet data shows that through September this year , about $45 million in cargo was stolen. In 2020, when thieves mainly stole toilet paper and personal protective equipment , the amount stolen was close to $68 million.

Before the outbreak of the epidemic in 2019, the registered amount of stolen goods was approximately US$49 million . It is estimated that the annual increase in theft cases in the United States will continue until 2022.

Keith Lewis, who is responsible for CargoNet operations , also said that in terms of electronic products and similar goods, we may see similar thefts next year as this year , and it is expected to continue in the next few years .

Still, thieves don’t wreak as much havoc at ports or rail yards. More goods are stolen while they’re in transit in trucks — when truckers stop en route to distribution centers or warehouses and thieves steal parts of the cargo from parked vehicles.

Experts say the thefts are difficult to track because drivers often don't notice their cargo is missing until long after it happens and don't know which law enforcement agency to report the theft to .

Take a truck hauling goods from California to Texas , for example. Drivers typically make four or five stops along the route , and thieves typically take only a portion of the cargo , so the driver doesn’t notice it’s missing until he unloads it .

From this point of view, the problem of theft is relatively difficult to solve, and the frequent theft caused by the epidemic also reflects the problems of American society to a certain extent. In the context of the global epidemic, the government still has a lot of work to do to ensure the basic lives of the people.

logistics

Cross-border e-commerce market